Over 2 000 homes damaged, 7 people injured after M6.8 earthquake in Cuba’s Granma province
At least 7 people, including 2 minors, were injured after an M6.8 earthquake struck Granma province, Cuba, at 16:49 UTC (11:50 local time) on Sunday, November 10, 2024. Over 2 000 homes were damaged and 26 destroyed.
Image credit: TW/SAM, Google
The National Defense Council of Civil Defense and the Cuban Center for Seismological Research (CENAIS) reported over 2 000 damaged homes and 26 destroyed, as well as structural impacts on 30 healthcare facilities and 40 educational institutions.
The seismic event also triggered a series of over 1 130 aftershocks over the next 48 hours, with 47 of them felt in areas like Pilón in Granma.
The quake severely impacted the municipalities of Pilon, Media Luna, and Campechuela. Pilon experienced the worst effects, including house collapses, cracked walls, and fallen ceiling tiles in key facilities such as the Comandante Félix Lugones Hospital. A 5-year-old girl and a 48-year-old woman sustained injuries.
Santiago de Cuba was impacted to a lesser extent but still recorded structural damage to 234 homes, mostly involving compromised walls, roofs, and ceilings.
The Sierra Maestra mountains experienced at least 9 landslides, complicating recovery efforts, while aftershocks have added to the community’s distress and delayed rebuilding.
In the municipality of Media Luna, several individuals were injured, including a child and an adult from the community of La Junta.
Cuba usually experiences low to moderate seismic activity with only seven earthquakes of M1.5 or greater recorded in or near the island in the past 365 days. This M6.8 earthquake stands out as the largest in Cuba for 2024.
Other recent earthquakes include an M5.4 off the coast of Haiti and various smaller events around the Caribbean region, drawing attention to the rarity of such powerful earthquakes in Cuba.
While eastern Cuba, including Granma and Santiago de Cuba, is situated near tectonic fault lines like the Oriente Fault, significant earthquakes are still uncommon. Recent major earthquakes in the region have been moderate, rarely exceeding magnitudes of 5.0 to 5.5.
References:
1 Earthquake Injures Seven and Impacts Over 2,000 Homes in Granma – CubaHeadlines – November 12, 2024
2 Earthquake leaves seven injured and more than 2,000 homes affected in Granma – CIBERCUBA – November 12, 2024
3 Very strong M6.8 earthquake hits Cuba, tsunami waves possible near epicenter – The Watchers – November 10, 2024
Rishika holds a Master’s in International Studies from Stella Maris College, Chennai, India, where she earned a gold medal, and an MCA from the University of Mysore, Karnataka, India. Previously, she served as a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India. During her tenure, she contributed as a Junior Writer for Europe Monitor on the Global Politics website and as an Assistant Editor for The World This Week. Her work has also been published in The Hindu newspaper, showing her expertise in global affairs. Rishika is also a recipient of the Women Empowerment Award at the district level in Haryana, India, in 2022.
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